Adjustable reclining back



I July 2; 1929.

R. STINSON ADJUSTABLE RECLINING BACK Filed Sept. 17, 1927 a u I 4% Patented July 2, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD STINSON, OF ATHOL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HEYWOOD-WAKEFIELD COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

ADJUSTABLE RECLIN'ING BACK.

Application filed September 17, 1927. Serial No. 220,207.

The invention relates to an adjustable reclining back, for use with baby carriages and the like, and includes novel means by which the back is adjusted to the desired angle of inclination. More particularly the invention comprises a self-contained adjustment device which dispenses with the use of pull rods, push buttons or such mechanism, the locking means which holds the back at agiven angle being released by pushing the back towards its pivotal centre.

In another of its aspects the invention comprises hinge devices in the form of trunnion mountings which incorporate a ratchet mechanism allowing the back to be lifted but preventing it from being lowered, except on application of pressure to push the trunnions against their supporting means.

The above and other advantageous features of the invention will hereinafter be more fully described with reference to the accom panying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a baby carriage body provided with an adjustable reclining back rest fitted with the adjustment devices of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the back rest and one hinge and locking device.

F 3 is a rear elevation of the back rest showing both the hinges and associated parts.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary View of the front of the back rest, showing one trunnion and associated parts.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of a spring clip and associated spring which hold a locking pawl in place, these parts being shown from underneathin the position of Fig. 4.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the different figures.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the device of the invention may be applied to a baby carriage of any suitable or desired construction. Such a baby carriage comprises a body or basket 1, having longitudinal frame members 2, 2 to which substantially U-shaped clamp members 3, 3 are attached. The latter have circular portions which, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 5, lit in cylindrical grooves provided in bearing members 4, 4. The grooves are simply provided to hold the bearing members against side play and may be dispensed with, if desired.

The bearing members 4, 4 are cup-shaped;

that is to say, they comprise hollow cylinders closed at the outer ends 5, 0. As best shown in Fig. 5, a series of slots 6, here shown as four in number, extend through the walls of the members 4, 4. In'one of these slots 6 of each member 4 lits a lug 7 provided by the U- shaped clamping,members 3'. In this manner the members 4, 4 are held from turning and are rigidly carried by the longitudinal members 2, 2 of the carriage body 1. i

The reclining back is designated by the numeral 8 and may be seen in all the figures except Fig. 6. Suitably attached to the lower sides of the reclining back 8 are a pair of trunnions 9, 9. which are preferably of the form and shape shown in Fig. 5 and are attached to the back by means of plates 10, 10. Pressed into a hole in each of the trunnions 9, 9, and projecting from one of the flat faces thereof, is a pin 11, the end of which is cut at an angle as shown. These pins 11 have the function of pawls in cooperation with the slots 6.

Suitably attached to the bottom of the back 8, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, are a pair of flat springs 12, 12 the outer ends of which carry U-shaped clips 13. See Figs. 4, 5 and 6. Each clip 13 provides flanged lips 14, 14 which are very close to or even touch the inside surfaces of the bearing members 4, 4. As the insides of the clips 13, 13 are in close proximity to the sides of the trunnions 9, 9, the axes of the trunnions are maintained in a given diametral plane of the cylindrical bearing members 4, 4, which insures proper working of the device.

The function and the operation of the parts described is as follows :-Assuming one 'U- shaped bracket member 3, containing and holding a cylindricalmember 4 to be attached to a longitudinal frame member, with the open end of the cup-shaped member 4 extending inwardly, the reclining back can be placed in position in this bearing mounting by simply pressing upwardly the proper fiat spring 12 and causing the pin or pawl 11 to snap into one of the slots 6. The opposite bearing member 4' with its holding bracket 3 can then be sprung into place on the other trunnion by similarly pressing upwardly the other fiat spring 12; whereupon this last named bracket 3 can be screwed in place. The parts are now completely assembled, and assuming them to be in the position shown in full lines in Figs. 2 and 5, it will be seen that the pawl 11 is located in the upper slot 6. The reclining back cannot, therefore, be pushed to the left or counterclockwise, since the inclined face of the pawl 11 taces to the right. In order to prevent the back from being swung further into the carriage body, a limiting stop is preferably provided, this stop taking the form of a lug l4: projecting i11- wardly from each member at.

Assuming it is desired to lower the reclining back to the dotted line position of Fig. 2 or, for example, to the broken dotted line position of Fig. 5, the back 8 is pressed downwardly so that the springs 12, 12 are compressed, the clips 13, 13 fitting around the trunnions 9, 9, and in this condition of the mechanism the pawls or pins 11 are withdrawn from the slots 6, and the back can be rotated until said pawls or pins fit in the desired slot to bring the back to the desired position. It will be obvious that the reclining back can always be raised or moved in a clockwise direction without any depressing action thereof, because of the inclination of the bevelled surface on the pawls 11.

The function of the flanges 14, l l on the clips 13, 13 is to limit the movement of the axis oi? a trunnion to a diametral plane of a bearing member at which contains a pawl or pin ll. If some means of preventing lost motion like the above were not provided, the back could be lowered by the application of pressure, since the parts would pivot on the pins 11. until the latter came out of the particular slots in which they happened to be located. This has been "found to be so by ex- .periment.

The back will operate with only one of the novel ratcheting devices that have been described, an ordinary hinge being substituted on the other side, and such a modification comes within the scope of the invention. It is obvious that holes could be substituted for the slots 6, and in the claims the word slot is to be taken to include holes, or depressions, or the like. Similarly, the exact form of the pins or pawls 11 is immaterial. The above and other changes of a like nature can be made without departing from the spirit oil the invention, the scope oi which is set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a reclining back and a body to which it is hinged, of trunnions carried by one of said parts, bearings for said trunnions carried by the other of said parts, slots in the bearing members, pins or pawls carried by the trunnions, and spring means carried by said trunnions and reacting against said bearing members to press said pins or pawls into said slots.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a reclining back and a body to which it is hinged, ot a trunnion carried by one of said parts, a bearing for said trunnion carried by the other of said parts, slots in the bearing member, a pin or pawl carried by the trunnion, and spring means carried by the trunnion and reacting against said bearing member to press said pin or pawl into said slot.

3. In a )paratus of the class described, the combination with a reclining back and a body to which it is hinged, of a trunnion carried by one of said parts, a bearing for said trunnion carried by the other of said parts, slots in the bearing member, a pin or pawl carried by the trunnion, and spring means inside of said bein'ing to press said pin or pawl into said slots and adapted to be compressed by downward mo \einent of said reclining back, where by said pin or pawl can be removed from id slots by downward pressure and the back adjusted to the desired height.

In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a reclining back and a body to which it is hinged, of a trunnion carried by one oft said parts, a bearing member for said trunnion carried by the other of said parts, slots in the bearing member, a pin or pawl carried by the trunnion, a U-shaped clip on the opposite side of said trunnion, and a flat spring pressing said U-shaped clip away from said trunnion, whereby said pin or pawl can be released from said slots by pressing said reclining backto force said U-shaped clip into engagement with said trunnion.

5. In apparatus of theclass described, the combination with a reclining back and a body to which it is hinged, of a trunnion carried by one of said parts, a bearin tor said trunnion carried by the other of said parts, slots in the bearing member, a pin or pawl carried by the trunnion, spring means carried by the trunnion and reacting; against said bearing member to press said pin or pawl into said slot, and means to maintain the axis of said trunnion substantially in a given dianietral plane of said bearing member.

Dated this thirteenth day of September, 1927.

RICHARD srmson. 

